How to Learn

All sorts of people try to learn something new: the bright and the not so bright, the motivated and the lazy, the experienced and the novice. Inevitably, the people who learn the most share one characteristic: They remain focused on the topic at hand.

The first trick to maintaining focus is to get enough sleep. You will wake up refreshed and ready to learn. Caffeine is not a substitute for sleep.

The second trick is to stop thinking about yourself. While learning something new, many people will think, "Damn, this is hard for me. I wonder if I am stupid." Because stupidity is such an unthinkably terrible thing in our culture, the person will then spend hours constructing arguments that explain why they are intelligent yet are having difficulties. The moment you start down this path, you have lost your focus.

Always remember the story of Danny. Danny had earned a degree in Astrophysics from Cal Tech and had never had a job in which he used his knowledge of the heavens. Once someone asked him whether he regretted getting the degree. "Actually, my degree in Astrophysics has proved to be very valuable," he said. "Some things in this world are just hard. When I am struggling with something, I sometimes think 'Damn, this is hard for me. I wonder if I am stupid,' and then I remember that I have a degree in Astrophysics from Cal Tech; I must not be stupid."

Before going any farther, assure yourself that you are not stupid and that some things are hard. Armed with this silly affirmation and a well-rested mind, you are ready to conquer learn anything.